Hillary Clinton criticises Israel's demolition of Palestinian homes

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has criticised Israeli demolitions of
Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem, saying it was of "deep concern".

U.S. Secretary of State Clinton speaks during news conference in RamallahPhoto: REUTERS

By Dina Kraft in Tel Aviv

5:25PM GMT 04 Mar 2009

"Clearly this kind of activity is unhelpful and not in keeping with the obligations entered into under the 'road map'," Mrs Clinton said, referring to peace efforts between the sides.

Mrs Clinton, on her first foray into Middle Eastern diplomacy since taking her new post, spoke in the West Bank town of Ramallah following a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Mrs Clinton, who drove into Ramallah under heavy guard as Palestinian police armed with assault rifles lined the road, said she would be raising the issue of the planned demolitions of some 80 homes Palestinian neighbourhood in traditionally Arab East Jerusalem with the Israeli government.

Before the houses were even built about fifteen years ago Israel had plans to turn the land, just beyond the walls of Jerusalem's Old City, into an archeological garden for tourists. Recently the Jerusalem Municipality decided to follow through on those plans.

Jerusalem municipal officials say the homes were built illegally without permits but Palestinians counter that in general it is extremely difficult to receive permits to build in the city and so families have no choice but to build without them.

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The future of Jerusalem is one of the key disputes between the sides. The Palestinians seek East Jerusalem as their future capital but Israeli leaders have said the city must remain united as its capital.

Mrs Clinton reiterated the message she sounded in talks with Israeli leaders on Tuesday that a Palestinian state should be established as a way to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The White House has signalled it seeks a more aggressive role in Mideast peacemaking and sending Mrs Clinton to the region was part of that message.

"The US is committed to a two-state solution," she said during a stop at a Ramallah school. "We will work immediately to help solve these problems and I'm very committed to that."

The Palestinian leadership also wants the US to put pressure on Israel to open border crossings into the Gaza Strip which have been only sporadically opened since Hamas militants seized control of the territory over a year ago.

It is also seeking commitments, Palestinian officials said, that Israel halt all construction of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

During a joint press conference with Mrs Clinton, Mr Abbas made an unusual open plea to the Iranians to stop meddling in Palestinian issues.

"We are sending a message to the Iranians and others – stop interfering in our affairs," he said. "They are interfering only to deepen the rift between Palestinians."

Earlier in the day Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made a call to Muslims around the world to join the fight against Israel.

Iran is known to support Hamas, the rivals of Mr Abbas' more moderate Fatah faction.